Developing Regional Cooperation on Air Pollution in Northeast Asia

The report examines the challenges of transboundary air pollution in Northeast Asia and compares the region's current cooperation frameworks with the successful models of the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) and the USA-Canada Air Quality Agreement. While Northeast Asian countries have implemented strong national measures, regional cooperation remains limited to data sharing and lacks binding emission targets. The authors propose a strategy based on three pillars: building scientific consensus, sharing best practices, and promoting technology cooperation to foster trust and reduce pollutants.

• The UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) succeeded by creating a strong science-policy interface, linking atmospheric monitoring and modelling (via EMEP) directly to legally binding Protocols for emission reductions.
• In Europe, public pressure driven by intense media reporting of smog events and the role of NGOs as 'watchdogs' and 'translators' of science were critical prerequisites for government action and the passage of legislation like the UK Clean Air Act of 1956.
• Current cooperation frameworks in Northeast Asia, including EANET, NEASPEC, and the Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting (TEMM), primarily focus on information sharing and data collection rather than binding emission reductions.
• China has achieved significant reductions in particulate matter (PM2.5) in major industrialized regions through the 'Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan' and the 'Three-year Action Plan for Winning the Blue Sky War'.
• Regional cooperation in Northeast Asia is hindered by a lack of stable, balanced funding, overlapping responsibilities, and geopolitical conflicts, including political, economic, and security tensions.
• The report suggests that because binding treaties are currently difficult to achieve in Northeast Asia, technology-based collaboration and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) offer a more viable path to overcome political obstacles.
• There are significant synergies between air pollution and climate change policies; for example, reducing Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) like black carbon and methane can simultaneously improve public health and reduce global warming.
• The 'Dieselgate' scandal in Europe highlighted a critical gap between laboratory-based emission testing and real-world driving emissions, leading to a need for stricter on-road testing in Euro 6 legislation.

APA

Choi, G., Kuylenstierna, J., Lee, S. K., Palmer, E., Hicks, K., Lee, E., Jun, D., Nikam, J., Archer, D., Ågren, C., & Williams, M. (2021). Developing Regional Cooperation on Air Pollution in Northeast Asia. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/developing-regional-cooperation-on-air-pollution-in-northeast-asia-sei-gtc-final-report-12.05.2021.pdf

Chicago

Choi, Gayoung, Johan Kuylenstierna, Sue Kyoung Lee, Eve Palmer, Kevin Hicks, Eunmi Lee, Dukwoo Jun, et al. Developing Regional Cooperation on Air Pollution in Northeast Asia. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2021. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/developing-regional-cooperation-on-air-pollution-in-northeast-asia-sei-gtc-final-report-12.05.2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{choi2021developing, author = {Choi, Gayoung and Kuylenstierna, Johan and Lee, Sue Kyoung and Palmer, Eve and Hicks, Kevin and Lee, Eunmi and Jun, Dukwoo and Nikam, Jaee and Archer, Diane and Ågren, Christer and Williams, Martin}, title = {{Developing Regional Cooperation on Air Pollution in Northeast Asia}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/developing-regional-cooperation-on-air-pollution-in-northeast-asia-sei-gtc-final-report-12.05.2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }